Washing machine mechanism



Dec. 29, A1936. 1 T GARUBO wA/sHING MACHINE MEGHAN1M Filed July 1o, 193e All l 7/ lll 1NVBNT01L Jesi-PH Tfweuo .TTORNEY- Patented Dec. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES testis Arai orties 7 Claims.

This invention relates to a washing machine vfor household use. 'Ihe invention is especially concerned with the provision of an improved driving and supporting mechanism for the agitator or impeller of a household washing machine. This therefore is the general object of the present invention.

A more specific object is the provision of a' driving mechanism which may extend through a hollow agitator support iixed to the tub and connected at the top of the support with the agitator in such a manner as to permit the eifective use of the agitator throughout its entire length.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved driving connection between a washing machine agitator and its drive shaft which connection may readily be substituted for existing driving connections and which will permit the water line in the tub to be raised without danger of water seepage through the connection.

Other objects of the invention will become more apparent from the following description, in which reference is had to a preferred embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawing. The novel feature of the invention will be summarized in the claims.

Referring now to the drawing; Fig. l is a fragmentary vertical section through a washing machine illustrating my invention in side elevation; Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 2--2 on Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section as indicated by the line 3-3 on Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the various parts of the driving connection prior to their assembly as a unit.

Referring again to the drawingl have indicated at lll the bottom wall of a tub of a household laundry or washing machine. The center of this wall is provided with an opening ii through which a reduced threaded portion of a hollow post or agitator support l2 extends. The support is stationarily secured in a vertical position by a suitable nut I4. A gasket member I5 interposed between the tub and the support prevents seepage of water at the base of the support.

The support l2 carries an agitator 20, which as shown in Fig. 1 encircles the support and is provided with the usual radially extending agitator blades 2|. As shown, the support is provided with a tapered bearing I6 adjacent its base, which coacts with the inner wall of the agitator to rotatably support the same.

The agitator is driven in an oscillatory manner by the usual motor and reduction gearing unit, not shown, but connected in the usual manner With a crank 22 which is secured to a shaft 23 which extends vertically upward through the hollow agitator support i2.

rllhe present invention is especially concerned with the driving connection between the upper end of the drive shaft 23 and the agitator 2U. As shown in Fig. 2, the shaft 23 is journalled in a bushing 24 carried adjacent the upper end of the support i2, and extends some distance beyond the upper end of such support.

Secured by a set screw 2l, to the shaft 23 above the support is a collar 25 provided, as illustrated, with three upwardly extending prongs 26 which coact in a nesting relation with three similar downwardly projecting prongs 28 of a cap 29. The upper ends of the prongs 26 and the lower ends of the prongs 28 are bevelle-d as shown at 3Q to permit the cap to be slid into engagement with the driving collar 25. One face of each prong 26 is provided with a bearing surface such as for instance, fiber plates 3l shown in Figs. 3 and 4 as being secured to their respective prongs 25 by suitable screws 32. These plates serve to reduce the friction between the collar 25 and the cap 2S as well as to eliminate noise.

The cap 29, after being slid into engagement with the collar 25 is secured to the agitator by suitable external threads 32. This may be accomplished if desired by rotating the impeller about its support i2. To increase the driving contact between the prongs 26 and 28 the upper end 33 of the shaft 23 is reduced in diameter. This may be done as such reduced portion is not used as a driving member but as a guide to facilitate the positioning of the cap 28.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated the driving collar 25 in position on the shaft 23 and, it will be noticed that the upper end 33 of the shaft projects above the upper ends of the collar prongs 26 ,and is tapered as shown at 34. The inner faces of the prongs 28 are arcuately formed, as shown in Fig. 3, and are adapted and arranged to engage the shaft portion 33, serving to 'guide the cap into position thereon.

Shrunk on, or otherwise secured by a water tight connection to the upper end of the post or support l2 is a collar 35. This collar is provided with exterior threads 36 which coact with similar threads formed on the interior surface of a protecting sleeve 3l. The sleeve extends upwardly from the collar 35, encircling the prongs 26 and 28 and into engagement with a shoulder 40 of the cap 29. The sleeve thus effectively prevents the seepage of water into the driving connection between the cap 29v and the driving collar 25, and thus prevents seepage from the tub through such connection.

The advantages of this construction are several. Repairs are facilitated. If, due to overloading, either the prongs 26 or 28 should shear from their respective members their removal is facilitated by the removal of the sleeve whereupon access is had to the driving connection without necessitating the removal of the shaft 23 or the support l2 from the washing machine, either of which requires considerable labor and is hence expensive. Furthermore the invention is readily adapted to be used on existing washing machines. Likewise it is obvious that by utilizing various height caps agitators of different heights may be used on the same washer. Thus great economy may be effected in making repairs and in addition the water in the tub may be maintained at a maximum height.

My improved structure is well adapted for use in existing machines and by adding the sleeve 31 the height of the agitator may be increased and the maximum water line of the tub raised to the top of the sleeve, thus increasing the capacity of the machine.

Having set forth the principles of my invention, and illustrated an embodiment thereof for practical use, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,-

1. In combination with a washing machine having a tub and a vertically extending hollow support rigidly secured thereto, of an agitator journalled on said support and extending thereabove, a hollow sleeve removably secured tothe upper end of said support, a cap member secured to the agitator and having a surface adapted to abut the upper end of said sleeve, a vertically extending drive shaft within said support, and a driving connection between said cap and said shaft enclosed within said sleeve.

2. In a washing machine having a tub and a vertically extending hollow support rigidly secured thereto, an agitator journalled on said support, a hollow sleeve removably secured to the upper end of said support within said agitator, a cap member removably secured to the agitator and having a surface adapted to engage the upper end of said sleeve, a vertically extending drive shaft journalled in said support, a driving connection between said cap and said shaft and embraced by said sleeve, said driving connection comprising a collar removably secured to said shaft and splined to said cap.

3. In a washing machine having a tub and a vertically extending hollow support secured thereto, and having an agitator journalled on said support and extending thereabove the combination of a hollow sleeve removably secured to the upper end of said support, a cap removably secured to the top of the agitator and having a surface adapted to abut the upper end of said sleeve, a vertically extending drive shaft within said support a driving connection being disposed within said sleeve and comprising a collar having a plurality of upwardly extending prongs removably secured to said shaft and a plurality of prongs carried by said cap and adapted to engage the prongs of said collar.

4. In a washing machine having a tub, a vertically extending hollow support rigidly secured therein and a hollow agitator surrounding said support and journalled thereon, the combination of a sleeve Within said agitator, said sleeve being threadingly secured to the upper end of said support and extending upwardly therefrom, a driving shaft journalled within said support and extending above the upper end of said sleeve, a collar secured to said shaft within said sleeve, a cap abutting the upper end of said sleeve and having means extending into said sleeve and splined to said collar, said means adapted and arranged to engage the periphery of said shaft whereby said shaft serves as a guide to facilitate sliding of the cap into position, and a driving connection between the cap and the agitator.

5. In a washing machine having a, tub, a vertically extending khollow support rigidly secured therein and a hollow agitator surrounding said support and journalled thereon, the combination of a sleeve threadingly secured to the upper end of said support and extending upwardly therefrom, a driving shaft journalled within said support and extending above the upper end of said sleeve, a' plurality of upwardly extending radially spaced ribs removably secured to said shaft within said sleeve, the upper ends of said ribs being below the plane of the upper end of said sleeve, a cap member having means to enter said sleeve and slidingly engage the ribs on said shaft, said means adapted to engage said shaft prior to the engagement of said means with said ribs, whereby said shaft may serve as a guide to facilitate the sliding of the cap into position and a driving connection between the cap and the agitator.

6. In a washing machine having a tub, a vertically extending hollow support rigidly secured therein and a hollow agitator surrounding said support and journalled thereon, the combination of a sleeve threadingly secured to the upper end of said support and extending upwardly therefrom, a driving shaft journalled within said support and having a reduced portion extending above the upper end of said sleeve, a collar removably secured to said shaft and having a plurality of upwardly extending radially spaced projections, the upper ends of said projections being in a plane below the plane of the upper end of saidA sleeve, a cap member having a plurality of downwardly extending projections adapted to enter said sleeve and slidingly engage the projections of said collar, said projections having inner walls arranged to embracingly engage the periphery of said shaft whereby said shaft may serve as a guide to facilitate the sliding of the cap into position relative to said collar, and a threaded connection between the cap and the top of the agitator.

7. In a washing machine having a tub, a vertically extending hollow support rigidly secured therein and a hollow agitator journalled on said support and extending thereabove, the combination of a hollow sleeve removably secured to the upper end of said support and extending upwardly therefrom, a drive shaft extending axially through said support and having a reduced portion extending above the upper end of said sleeve, a collar removably secured to said shaft and having a plurality of upwardly extending radially spaced projections, the upper ends of said projections being in a plane below the upper plane of said sleeve, friction reducing members secured to said projections, a cap member having a plurality of downwardly extending projections adapted to enter said sleeve and engage said members, said projections having guiding surfaces adapted to engage said shaft to facilitate the sliding of the cap into position relative to said collar, and a separable connection between the cap and the top of the agitator.

JOSEPH T. GARUBO. 

